The Northern Dimension a Finnish Perspective Isbn 951-724-560-2 Edita Prima Oy Helsinki 2006 3
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THE NORTHERN DIMENSION A FINNISH PERSPECTIVE ISBN 951-724-560-2 EDITA PRIMA OY HELSINKI 2006 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. DEFINITION OF THE NORTHERN DIMENSION ............................................... 5 GEOGRAPHICAL AREA............................................................................................... 6 2. TIMELINE OF THE NORTHERN DIMENSION .................................................... 7 3. FROM CONFRONTATION TO REGIONAL AND CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION ................................................................................................................ 9 A NEW CONCEPT IS CREATED ................................................................................ 9 THE NORTHERN DIMENSION BECOMES EU POLICY ................................. 11 4. EUROPEAN COUNCIL CONCLUSIONS .............................................................. 13 5. MINISTERIAL CONFERENCES ............................................................................... 16 THE FIRST FOREIGN MINISTERS’ CONFERENCE - HELSINKI (11 AND 12 NOVEMBER 1999) ................................................................................. 16 THE SECOND FOREIGN MINISTERS’ CONFERENCE - LUXEMBOURG (9 APRIL 2001) ...................................................................................................................... 18 THE THIRD FOREIGN MINISTERS’ CONFERENCE - LUXEMBOURG (21 OCTOBER 2002) ..................................................................................................... 18 THE FOURTH FOREIGN MINISTERS’ CONFERENCE - BRUSSELS (21 NOVEMBER 2005) ................................................................................................. 19 6. CONTENT EVOLVES IN SEMINARS AND FORUMS ..................................... 20 7. PRACTICAL COOPERATION AND PARTNERSHIPS OF THE NORTHERN DIMENSION......................................................................................... 22 NEW FINANCIAL INSTRUMENT .......................................................................... 22 8. NORTHERN DIMENSION ENVIRONMENTAL PARTNERSHIP (NDEP) ............................................................................................................................... 23 SOUTHWEST WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT IN ST PETERSBURG .......................................................................................................... 25 OTHER EXAMPLES OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS ................................. 26 NUCLEAR SAFETY PROJECTS ................................................................................ 27 FINANCIERS OF THE NDEP (SPRING 2006) ...................................................... 28 PROJECTS APPROVED FOR THE NDEP SUPPORT FUND’S ENVIRONMENTAL WINDOW ............................................................................... 29 9. NORTHERN DIMENSION PARTNERSHIP IN PUBLIC HEALTH AND SOCIAL WELLBEING (NDPHS) ............................................................................... 30 10. OTHER SECTORS OF COOPERATION .............................................................. 31 ENERGY ......................................................................................................................... 31 TRANSPORT ................................................................................................................. 32 THE INFORMATION SOCIETY AND THE NORTHERN EDIMENSION .... 34 11. REGIONAL BODIES IN THE NORTHERN DIMENSION AREA ............... 35 LINKS TO WEBSITES ...................................................................................................... 37 5 1. Defi nition of the Northern Dimension Policy level - a political concept to draw the EU’s a ention to northern Europe and to develop cooperation especially with northwest Russia. Practical level - partnerships and - projects launched by the EU and individual countries, groups of countries, the Commission, organizations, regions and local actors in the ND region The Northern Dimension is an instrument of cooperation involving the EU and its Member States and partner countries Russia, Iceland, and Norway. The USA and Canada hold observer status. The objective is to support sustainable development, stability, welfare and security in the northern parts of Europe. The Northern Dimension strengthens positive interdependency between Russia and the European Union and prevents the emergence of new dividing lines. The Northern Dimension covers a range of sectors, such as energy, transport, the environment, nuclear safety, justice and home aff airs, the fi ght against organized crime, health care, the promotion of trade and investment, cross- border cooperation, information technology, and research. The Northern Dimension is fi nanced from various sources including individual countries, Interreg, Tacis, international fi nancial institutions, and the private sector. The most important and most concrete achievements of the Northern Dimension are the Environmental Partnership and the Partnership for Public Health and Social Wellbeing. Within these partnerships, all participating countries are equal and all contribute to them fi nancially. 6 Geographical area Considering its geographical area, the Northern Dimension is a fl exible concept. Since the accession of the Baltic States and Poland to the EU, Northwest Russia has been the principal focus of practical cooperation. The bulk of the fi nancing has been channelled to Kaliningrad, the Baltic Sea region (including St Petersburg) and the Arctic region. To illustrate the issue, we can draw an open circle from the Barents Sea to northern Germany. The open circle highlights the fact that Iceland, the USA and Canada as well as 7 the more remote Arctic regions are also involved in the Northern Dimension. However, the circle is somewhat limiting because, in fact, the practical work extends further east in northern parts of Russia. Many experts consider that the geographical area of the Northern Dimension covers the northern parts of Russia as a whole. 2. Timeline of the Northern Dimension 1994 Concepts such as the northern dimension and the Nordic dimension are fi rst discussed in Finland when Finland, Sweden and Norway prepare for referendums concerning their accession to the European Union (EU). 1995 Finland, Sweden and Austria join the EU. 1997 September: The concept of an EU policy for the Northern Dimension is introduced in a speech by Prime Minister Paavo Lipponen at the Barents Euro-Arctic Council in Rovaniemi. December: The Luxembourg European Council notes the Finnish proposal concerning a Northern Dimension for the policies of the Union and requests the Commission to submit an interim report on this subject at the forthcoming European Council meeting in 1998. 1998 June: The Cardiff European Council reiterates the obligation set for the Commission in Luxembourg. December: The Vienna European Council invites the Commission to identify guidelines for action in the Northern Dimension as part of the policies of the European Union. June: The Cologne European Council confi rms the guidelines adopted by the General Aff airs Council and considers that the possibility of drawing up an action plan should be clarifi ed later in the year. 1999 November: During Finland’s Presidency of the European Union, a Foreign Ministers’ Conference on the Northern Dimension is held in Helsinki, where concrete ideas are developed for an ND action plan. 8 December: The Helsinki European Council invites the Commission to prepare an action plan for the Northern Dimension. 2000 June: The Feira European Council endorses the Action Plan for the Northern Dimension for 2000-2003. 2001 March: The Northern Dimension Environmental Partnership is established in Helsinki. April: The Swedish Presidency of the European Union organizes the Second Ministerial Conference on the Northern Dimension in Luxembourg. June: The Göteborg European Council endorses the policy guidance prepared by the Presidency and the Commission and recognizes the importance of the Environmental Partnership. 2002 March: The Barcelona European Council appeals to the parties to fi nd a solution to fi nancial and technical problems. 2002 August: The possibility of a second Action Plan and an Arctic Window are discussed in a Ministerial Conference on the Northern Dimension held in Ilulissat, Greenland. October: The third Foreign Ministers’ Conference on the Northern Dimension in Luxembourg adopts guidelines for a second Action Plan. 2003 October: The Brussels European Council endorses the Second Northern Dimension Action Plan 2004-2006. 2004 May: Enlargement of the EU by ten new Member States. October: The fi rst Senior Offi cials’ Meeting (SOM) in Brussels, which is based on the Second Action Plan, deals with development and future action. 2005 November: The fourth Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Brussels decides about guidelines for the period a er the Second Action Plan. 9 3. From confrontation to regional and cross-border cooperation The past fi een years have been historic in northern Europe. The collapse of the Soviet Union opened up opportunities for cross-border cooperation. The Baltic States regained their independence in 1991. New forms of cooperation were developed based on plans prepared among politicians and researchers. Regional councils were set up and direct contacts at local and sub-regional level became possible. Finland and Sweden joined the European Union in 1995. The fi rst Northern Dimension Action Plan was adopted by the EU in 1999. Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland joined the EU in 2004. Throughout the Cold War period, a rigid